BY BARBARA BOLIN
The world has changed dramatically and quickly over the last two decades and this has forever affected our lives and workplaces.
In our rapidly changing, technology-driven world successful economies now depend on a population skilled in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), problem-solving, innovation, communication and creativity. Michigan is no exception and so it is time to take a hard look at how we educate people, particularly our youth, and help them to develop these in-demand skills.
In our state, the average drop-out rate from schools is about 20 percent. This means that roughly 1 in 5 youngsters is closing the door on a potentially successful future and quite frankly, we cannot afford to let this situation continue. One reason for this embarrassingly high drop-out rate is disengagement of students. In other words, they see little to no connection between the curriculum and school work and the real-world, a career and personal success.
The Michigan STEM Partnership aims to foster a culture of cross-disciplinary education in which all subjects are seen to be connected to each other and related to real-world activities. This approach has been proven to not only develop technological literacy but also to create potential employees who can think, work in teams, communicate, problem-solve, come up with innovative ideas, present those ideas in both written and oral formats, and quite often discover and develop entrepreneurial skills.
While educational approaches that are based in high academic, well-defined standards for school and college graduation are essential, the way in which knowledge is gained is just as important. We must leave behind the 19th-century approach that persists in our schools to at least consider embracing project-based learning and hands-on approaches that require application of academic knowledge. This approach may be incorporated in and developed through both in-class and out-of-class activities.
A remarkable change occurs when teachers and school districts solve the engagement problem, and across Michigan many terrific efforts are helping children in all grades to see the connection between learning and application of that knowledge. It doesn’t hurt when an activity makes discovering these connections fun.
Employers are willing participants in these activities, and the STEM partnership encourages this close involvement, especially through internships for 11-12th grade students and teachers. Most people acknowledge that good teaching is essential so it is important that in-service and pre-service teachers be given the best training and professional development to prepare them to facilitate learning. Through the Michigan Mathematics and Science Centers, the Partnership is supporting teachers across the state to meet these new challenges.
For more information on the Michigan STEM Partnership, visit www.mistempartnership.com and sign up for the Partnership newsletter.Barbara Bolin is executive director of the MI STEM Partnership. The Kalamazoo Area Mathematics and Science Center is part of the MI STEM Partnership. October is STEM Awareness Month. The Michigan STEM Partnership is a public/private collaborative whose mission is to promote and support the efforts of educators and employers across the state to increase the number of STEM students and graduates who are science, technology, engineering and mathematics-literate. It is projected that by 2018—just over four years away, Michigan will have 274,000 additional STEM-related jobs that need to be filled.